“[I]n the guide ‘30 Simple Energy Things You Can Do To Save The Earth,’ in the section ‘Energy and the Environment,’ listed are areas and/or issues that are quite frequently in the spotlight for reasons not too difficult to imagine. These are: ‘Air Pollution,’ ‘Acid Rain,’ ‘Water Pollution,’ ‘The Greenhouse Effect,’ ‘Habitat Change.’ There are those along with this admonishment:

“‘Using too much energy doesn’t just waste resources—it affects the health of our planet. When you conserve energy, you not only lower your energy costs, you also reduce the need for more power plants, preserve natural resources, and decrease pollution. You should use energy only when you need it, and use only as much as you need.’”1

So, what is it about this reference that makes it so appealing? It is with the home in mind that this book is written with its many recommendations for improving conditions and energy efficiency in and around the house, predominantly. Not to be excluded is the automobile and offered are some car tips and how savings can be created in this regard. From what I remember, the book is free of charge.

Next up is: Sensei Domi’s Guide to Lean Management. This book in my opinion is directed toward the business professional and its lessons can be equally applied in business and industry alike. Even if you are not a business professional, text is very easily understood with plenty of anecdotal related items and illustrations and examples to add support and help the reader navigate his or her way through text with the greatest of ease.

Sensei Domi, in a nutshell, advises that his book is a reference guide on “Lean Enterprise” designed with small businesses in mind; a manual chock-full of information suited especially for people who seek to gain knowledge and understanding about said Lean Sigma concepts, obviating the necessity of having to take a course and breaking the bank in the process.2

Via email, Tomate provided further insights. He adds:

“We live in a cause-and-effect world. Lean Six Sigma reviews outcomes, reverse engineers, and determines the root causes of problems that affect [a] company, and, most certainly, can be applied to address air-quality issues.”

Only “how”? you may wonder.

Tomate explains. “Manufacturing industries have long histories of contributing to the cause of poor air quality; and, agencies like local air districts and the Environmental Protection Agency are working hard to effect [positive] change. I’ve used this paradigm countless times in providing solutions. But in order for this to work, it requires all parties to be on the same page. Resistance [to change] has been [a] major hurdle; old-school farming and oil-production industries [as is sometimes the case] see these changes as cost-prohibitive, constraining and profit-draining.”

Over time, Tomate hopes that such resistance will fade as it becomes apparent to more and more the damaging effect air pollution has and is having, particularly, on children’s respiratory health, all as a result of prolonged exposure to – and the continued breathing in of – the poison which is exactly what polluted air is. And, hence, exemplifying the cause-and-effect.

“Cooling It! No Hair Shirt Solutions to Global Warming, by Gar. W. Lipow is a roadmap showing us the way to become a more energy efficient nation and how relying on renewables-production processes like sun, wind, wave and tide (as opposed to dependence on fossil fuels) can not only help pave the way toward greater energy efficiencies being realized, but in so doing will not only enable us to effectively undo those effects caused from climate-damaging greenhouse gases but other impacts too such as air, water and soil degradation, mainly. These impacts, each and every one, are a result of a host of causes, inputs or triggers.”

Among topics covered are: waste, energy production and infrastructure and what kinds of improvements can be made with respect to each of these.

I close the review with these thoughts:

“My sense is that the main obstacles for full onboard acceptance and implementation of many of or all of the methods, principles, techniques that Lipow describes go beyond the political, social, structural and institutional. Progress momentum along these lines being what it is invariably is due to an ignorance or unfamiliarity with those techniques, principles and methods and exactly where this book can help answer that call.

“Although somewhat dated, Cooling It! in my opinion is every bit as relevant today as it was when released – perhaps even more so.”

Notes

30 SimpleEnergyThings You Can Do To Save The Earth, “Energy and the Environment,” EarthWorks Press, distributed by Pacific, Gas and Electric Company, 2006, pp. 13-15.